Defending… Completely
by oppisum
Summary: Burt Hummel loves his son unconditionally and would defend him no matter what, but does that include from his own family? Yes. Yes, it does.


**Romance/Family**

**A/N: This is the un-planed addition to my Burt perspective series along with **_**Intuition…Kind of **_**and **_**Spying… Sort of. **_**Sorry it's not really funny like the others.****It can be read on its own.**

**This story was inspired by the trip I'm currently on where I found out that part of my family would disown me for liking girls. You know, I'm proud of who I am, and I don't care what people say about me, but it does suck to know that part of my family would hate me for it. I'm completely open with my parents and friends. My parents were out of the house and I was (ironically) writing the next chapter in my Klaine story **_**A New Side to New York **_**when my grandmother who was watching the news commented that she thought it would be the most tragic thing in the world if I was gay. I told her nice to know, got up, and walked outside and wrote this. Honestly, I typed this while crying. Please note that some of these were some of the exact reasons I heard for why I'm going to hell. I don't want to hide, but I don't want to start a new family feud because I know my mom and dad would shed blood to defend me.**

**So, yeah, ignoring my family trouble, enjoy the story!**

**Summary: Burt Hummel loves his son unconditionally and would defend him no matter what, but does that include from his own family? Yes. Yes, it does.**

Defending… Completely

Burt Hummel tugged at the overly tight collar of his suit in frustration. Why the hell did a family reunion warrant formal attire? Carol slapped at his arm and gave him the you-know-Kurt-will-kill-you-if-you-wrinkle-that look. He, Carol, Finn, Kurt, and Blaine were at the annual Hummel family reunion. Burt's sister Mary had been over the moon to learn first that Kurt really was gay – Burt suspected a bet of some sort – and second that he had finally managed to catch himself a boyfriend. She had been quick to invited Blaine along, much to Burt's exasperation.

It's not that he had anything against Blaine coming along, he just didn't want to stir up trouble where he didn't have to. Half of the Hummel clan had known that Kurt was gay since his seventh family reunion where he insisted on playing dress up and make over with the rest of the girls. The other half maintained an obstinate insistence that no, there was no way a Hummel could be gay and insisted on asking Kurt if he had a girlfriend every time they saw him. Burt and his son had an unspoken agreement that at gatherings with the more distant and closed-minded of the Hummels, Kurt would neither advertize nor deny his sexuality. The thing was, most of the family assumed they knew Kurt's sexuality without being told, no matter what half they sided with, something that irked Burt endlessly. Kurt, on the other hand, insisted that he was used to it.

"Oh God, Finn is talking to your cousin Leroy," Carol suddenly said, interrupting Burt's thoughts. Leroy was Burt's blind brother-in-law. "I'd better go stop him before he had a chance to ask how Leroy goes to the bathroom if he can't see." Carol all but sprinted off.

Burt idly walked over to the table where Kurt and Blaine sat regaling Mary and June with the story of something called 'The Gap Attack.' "…And I practically chased him around the store singing to him, completely oblivious to how awkward he looked!" Blaine was saying, hands gesturing wildly.

"Completely oblivious," echoed Kurt, leaning forward in his chair, legs crossed.

Burt resisted the urge to sigh in relief. With any luck, Kurt and Blaine would be able to make it out of this damn thing without sparking a new family feud. They'd just managed to get over the last one caused by Grandfather Harry sleeping around with his secretary. Burt wasn't ashamed of his son being gay by any extent; he just didn't want any more drama. When you put them all together, this family could be more dramatic than that glee club of Kurt's.

***BREAK***

Everything went fine until dinner. Of course, only forty-five minutes left, and _then _the train decides to wreck. Carol had taken Finn home about an hour earlier due to a bout of nausea. Finn, desperate for an escape, had insisted that it was the flu, but the rest of the family knew otherwise. Unwise to the customs of his new family, Finn had unknowingly eaten one of Aunt Julie's baked goods, not realizing that there was a reason that particular stack of cookies remained un-touched.

To make matters worse, Burt, Blaine, Kurt, and June had somehow managed to end up at a table with Great-Aunt Helen and Burt's brother Nick. Helen was a finicky, conservative woman who resembled an over-fed crow. Mary was the only likeable member of the family who could even come close to placating her, but as the host Mary was otherwise occupied. However, Helen did seem to take quite nicely to Blaine. But then again, thought Burt, there was nothing for her to criticize with Blaine. He was as charming and well mannered as an eighteenth-century gentleman.

By desert Burt had even begun to relax, even thinking that maybe things would work out ok. Kurt had obviously told Blaine about the precarious situation within the family because the curly-haired boy skillfully dodged and side stepped all questions whose answers could give away him and Kurt's relationship. He answered by omitting just enough information to not be lying but still enough to present a false information someone who didn't grasp the full situation. Somehow, Burt couldn't help but think that this must not be Blaine's first rodeo. He was way too good at not divulging the truth without actually lying. As a parent, Burt actually found it really unnerving.

But then the wheals fell off.

"So, Kurt, do you and Blaine go to school together?" Helen asked when June left the table to help Mary.

"We did for a bit, but not anymore. He goes to Dalton Academy."

"I don't mean to be rude-"

_That's likely, _thought Burt.

"-But why is he here? It hardly seems appropriate to bring someone who's just your friend to a family reunion. We'll start to think you're getting board with us. A girlfriend I could understand, but just a friend…?"

Kurt took his time chewing his food and taking a drink of water before saying, "He's not just a friend, Aunt Helen." Burt held his breath. "He's my boyfriend."

There were two beats of silence before all hell broke loose.

"What? Burt, did you know about this?" Helen asked scornfully.

"Yes, I did, and I think Blaine's a great guy."

"Burt, _seriously_? How could you let something so disgusting go on under your roof?"chimed in Nick.

"I don't know what you're saying is 'going on', but I would appreciate if you'd leave my family's business be since it's none of yours."

"It's our business because you're our family and it's out business if a Hummel is acting in such a disgraceful and abominable way like a homosexual. It's a tragedy to have one in the family." said Helen.

By this point, both Burt and Kurt were traffic-light red but for two very different reasons. Kurt was embarrassed that his family was acting like this in front of Blaine, and Burt just wanted to kill someone.

"Excuse me," Kurt said in a cold voice of forced strength that still betrayed his hurt, "But I don't see how who I choose to date has any effect on you."

"Hey Braden," said Nick, grabbing a passing man by the arm, "Guess what; Burt's son really is a fag."

"There's no need for that type of language," said Blaine as he moved to stand behind Kurt's chair and put his hands on Kurt's shoulders. He drew himself up to his full height, which was not very intimidating compared to the tall, burly men who stood around them.

"There is when you're willingly living in sin!" shouted Helen.

Kurt stood quickly and ran out the back door, tears streaming down his face.

"Kurt!" Blaine called, running out after him.

Burt moved to stand at his full height, which was an intimidating move. He took a big step towards the trio who now stood crowded together, but about that time Mary came running in from the kitchen with June by her side and grabbed him by the arm.

"I think it would be best if you leave," said Mary firmly to Helen, Nick, and Braden.

"No Mary, we'll go. If we don't, I'm going to end up kicking someone's ass, related or not."

"Yeah, Burt, you and your pansy of a son go!" jeered Braden.

That was all it took. Burt spun around faster than a man of his stature should be able to and punched his cousin right in the nose. "Don't you ever talk about my son like that you fuckin' redneck bastard! I don't care if I grew up with you, I'll beat the shit out of your hillbilly ass if you ever so much as look at my son wrong again, you got me!" Half of the room sat in an indignant silence, but the other half erupted in to a round of tumultuous applause.

But Burt wasn't done yet. He turned to Nick, who still stood spewing insults. "Oh, shut it you over-grown baboon's ass! As I remember, you didn't seem to think it was so disgusting to be gay as long as it was with that McMullen boy down the street!"

Nick went pale, but kept stuttering out insults mixed with denials.

"Oh, don't think for a second that I didn't hear everything that went on! Those walls were paper thin, and your room was right next to mine, you dumb-ass!" Burt turned to the room at hand. "And if anyone else has a problem with my son, bring it on, but don't think that I haven't spent forty-three years with you people and not picked up on a few things about all of you."

With that, he stomped off towards the front porch. As the screen door slammed, Blaine looked up from where he sat on the steps with his arms wrapped both protectively and comfortingly around Kurt, who was sobbing uncontrollably into his chest.

With a sigh, Burt sat down next to his son and rested his hand comfortingly on top of the the brunet's ruined hair the same way he used to when Kurt was little. "D-dad, I-I'm so s-sorry," he choked out.

"Kurt, there's nothing for you to be sorry about, nothing at all. Our family is stupid, son. I resigned myself to that fact a long time ago."

"B-but you, you had to…" Kurt's voice trailed off as he pulled away from Blaine's chest.

Burt could hear the muffled aftermath of his explosion through the screen door and had no doubt that Kurt and Blaine had heard everything said. "I didn't _have _to do anything. Kurt, you're my son, and I'll love you and stick up for you no matter what." Not being the excessively loquacious sort, Burt just wrapped an arm around Kurt's shoulder, hoping he understood any unsaid words.

"You know, it's not like I haven't heard it all a hundred times over, but somehow it just hurts more when it comes from someone you're related too, even if I don't give a damn what they think." Kurt wiped another tear from his cheek and Blaine wrapped arm around Kurt's slider waist. It didn't bother Burt; he remembered what Blaine had said about his dad wanting him to be straight and figured the short boy probably understood how Kurt felt way better than he ever could.

They sat there like that for a long time, Burt's arm around Kurt's shoulders and Blaine's around his waist. At long last, they were prompted to move by the sounds of people getting ready to leave.

"I have to say," Blaine said, breaking the silence as they made their way across the dark expanse of grass to Burt's truck, "I wish my dad had the nerve to call one of my uncles an over-grown baboon's ass in my defense."

At this, there was a pause before all three of them started laughing.

"I did call him that, didn't I? And I got to deck Braden!" Burt said between snorts of laughter. "Well, Kurt, we have learned one thing tonight."

Kurt looked at him questioningly, still dabbing at his swollen eyes.

"If I'd of known that it'd get us out of that damn thing sooner, I would have told them you were gay four hours ago!"

**Thanks for reading!**

**(And for putting up with my venting about my crazy family in the author's note.)**


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